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About Keeley McGuire & her Blog

Keeley is a winner of Top 25 Food Allergy Moms - 2012

What's your best advice for a mom struggling with cooking for children with food allergies?

Get your children involved! My daughter is my 'sous chef' in the kitchen. She loves learning about the food groups, why we eat healthy foods, reading recipes, and having fun with mom while doing it. It's a great bonding experience and also educational (teaching her fractions, measuring, etc).

What's your favorite allergy friendly product?

SunButter. Hands down.
We eat it by the case. On sandwiches, in baking, or dipping fruit.
It's delicious! Completely nut free, it's also gluten free, egg free, dairy free, kosher, and vegan.
It's the best peanut butter alternative spread, which is great for those families also attending nut free schools or in nut free classrooms.

What's the biggest challenge raising a child with food allergies?

Her safety.
It's taken me a long time to learn to give her freedom in some areas, but I still have my "helicopter mom" moments.
Everywhere she goes, any time I'm not right there, I worry. I worry for my baby girl's life. It's terrifying.
There's also a struggle to make sure she's never left out or feels different from her peers. I do my best to make her feel special and loved, even with food.
That's why she and I are so involved in the kitchen together and why I go the extra mile to make her fun lunches. Just because she can't have hot lunch like the other kids, I want her to feel like what she has is not only healthier but better all around!
I strive each day and overachieve in everything I do, for her.